Profile avatar
maxvargas.bsky.social
philanthropist, policy wonk, attorney, public servant, 🇵🇪 immigrant, proud father of four https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-vargas-96270052
52 posts 69 followers 510 following
Prolific Poster
Conversation Starter

I stand with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla @padilla.senate.gov @alex-padilla4ca.bsky.social because he stands for us. On #NoKings Day, I hope all those who can will stand for our immigrants, our communities, and our democracy: www.nokings.org. (pic circa 2013-14 #flashbackfriday)

Farmworkers are hiding because Trump made them targets. Without farmworkers, the crops that feed our nation rot and our tables go empty. This isn’t strong immigration policy — it’s economic sabotage fueled by hate. www.bbc.com/news/article...

The design visibly undergirding the entire administration: falsely branding anyone non-white as dangerous. What's galling about the disinformation on #immigrants is that we have bodies of definitive research showing immigrants, including undocumented ones, commit less crime than U.S. born citizens.

Once upon a time not long ago... #SlickRick with the new album in 2025. Love to see it. #HipHop news so big that the @apnews.com had to cover it. Adding to my #ElderMillenial playlist now.

I encourage everyone to consider attending one of the many demonstrations planned for tomorrow across the country. Show up. Demand accountability. Peacefully protest. Find the rally closest to you: NoKings.org

If that’s what they do to a United States Senator with a question, imagine what they can do to any American that dares to speak up. We will hold this administration accountable.

Sen. Alex Padilla was just removed from Kristi Noem's press conference in Los Angeles (video: Bill Melugin/Fox News)

The administration's fixation on LA is redirecting attention from a terrible tax bill that, among other things, will make higher education less accessible and will add thousands in costs to existing borrowers. Republicans are aiming to pass the reconciliation bill by July 4th. Just 3 weeks left.

Wonder Woman has spoken ya'll. 🤎

What a spectrum. Would be helpful to also have a count of audience/viewership size and some data points on social media platforms.

Latest #inflation figues are in but take them with a grain of salt... ICYMI, under this administration the US Labor Department and its Bureau of Labor Statistics has scaled back data collection, "reducing sample in areas across the country." Remember: less data often equals less accountability.

Essential workers targeted by ICE. How soon they forget the sacrifices and contributions of some of this country's most important and hardest working communities.

With the escalating attacks in Los Angeles on our free speech rights & right to assemble/protest, I am sharing some resources. First, our protest rights guide @freepress.bsky.social in English & Spanish! www.freepress.net/sites/defaul... www.freepress.net/sites/defaul...

In the face of a lawless executive, the courts must now uphold checks against the use of military force against civilians. The Supreme Court may want to avoid a conflict, but it may have no choice.

The power of social norms has always been greater than the power of our laws. We're finding out in real time what that looks like.

They do say divorce is hardest on the kids.. But, with ICE raids afoot, @seiuca.bsky.social President David Huerta arrested and now thankfully released, Abrego Garcia back in the U.S., and the National Guard descending on LA, this is not the custody battle I thought @wsj.com would be writing about.

President Trump ordered active-duty Marines to be deployed against immigrants' rights protestors in Los Angeles. This unnecessary move only inflames tensions and does nothing to protect us and our rights — the military does not belong in our communities.

UPDATE: David Huerta was just released from custody!

Immigrants have often been targeted by scam artists, including a slew of "notarios" masquerading as legal experts, but the level of malevolent intent it takes to design fake, virtual immigration hearings is next level vile.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California union leader David Huerta is released from custody on $50K bond after arrest during immigration raid protest.

Asimov previously stated, “I assume the people who build robots will also know enough to build safeguards into them." There's public support for #AI safeguards, but as the AI arms race grows, will the orgs, companies, and developers building AI models & related tech still prioritize safeguards?

Easily over 1,000 people outside the federal detention center in LA, with another 2,000+ at City Hall.

It was an honor to be recognized as part of the #Latinos #40Under40 Class of 2025 in the Bay Area last week. In the face of so much xenophobia and political division, I'm glad that efforts to recognize rising leaders in our communities remain strong. www.linkedin.com/posts/latino...

SCOTUS allowing what is in effect a breach or leak of our personal data "for now" is wild. As identity theft cases have shown us, once your info is out there, there's no easy way to claw that data back and the damage can be irreparable.

Recent @gallup.com data illustrate decline in U.S. satisfaction with freedom & agency. 10 years ago satisfaction was higher than today and 6 years before that even higher. More alarming but not surprising is the growing gender divide - collectively an ailing sign for the health of our #democracy.

What "free" market?

here we go

Breaking, but not surprising: fickle, often erratic Trump turns on yet another former associate

We asked people who lived in homeless encampments that were cleared out in city “sweeps” to write about what object was the hardest for them to lose. “They took my baby pictures and my moms obituaries,” a 29-year-old in California wrote.

The Senate is currently considering a reconciliation spending bill that will fundamentally transform American society. The bill wastes taxpayer money on overly-punitive immigration enforcement while cutting programs that support working families. Urge your Senator to vote NO on this bill 👇

🤔 see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

In pursuit of what they said would be a more "efficient" government, they left us a less effective one. For reference, a study published by Nature showed that tropical cyclones and hurricanes in the U.S. account for an average of 7,000-11,000 deaths per storm. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Here's something everybody should be paying attention to: Congressional Republicans are trying to weaken the Affordable Care Act and put millions of people at risk of losing their health care. Call your Senators and tell them we can't let that happen.

Death and the Maiden, by Camillo Verno, 1895, 📸 via @bleachereport.bsky.social

These immigration policies don't just tear families apart, they tear communities apart. These folks don't exist in a void, they're part of the fabric of schools and towns across America. They're student-athletes (like in this story), childcare providers, business owners, artists, neighbors all.

Our right to free speech is under attack by the Trump administration. Congress must vote NO on any bill that would let immigrants be targeted for their political speech.